Saina Nehwal-led India bounce back in Thomas and Uber Cup with a win over Australia

After a disastrous start in Thomas and Uber Cup, by losing to Canada and France in the opening match, the India women’s badminton team came all guns blazing on Monday. India Women’s team thrash Australia by 4-1 in the second group match of the Thomas and Uber Cup on Monday. Apart from the women’s doubles match, Saina Nehwal-led Indian team won all their matches.

Saina kicked off the proceedings with a straight game win over Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen. She outclassed her opponent 21-14, 21-19 in the 35-minute opening match, and provide India a 1-0 lead. However, Australia equalized the issue in the women’s doubles affair as Gronya Somerville and Renuga Veeran defeated Meghana Jakkampudi and Poorvisha S Ram 21-13, 21-16 within half an hour.

In an another women’s singles match, Vaishnavi Reddy Jakka bought back India in the contest as she hammered Jennifer Tam 21-17, 21-13. Later, another women’s pair comprising Sanyogita Ghorpade and Prajakta Sawant extended India’s lead by beating Louisa Ma and Ann-Louise Slee 21-19, 21-11 in the second doubles match.

19-year-old Anura Prabhudesai finally sealed the issue for India 4-1 as she got the better of Zecily Fung 21-6, 21-7 in just 18 minutes. India will now face top seeds from Japan on Wednesday.

Earlier, India lost to Canada and France by identical scores of 1-4 on Sunday. The Indian suffered defeat for not playing their 9th ranked HS Pranoy and doubles pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy as the young side never looked in the competition against their French counterparts, who were ranked lower.

Although, B Sai Praneeth gave a good start by defeating Brice Leverdez and took 1-0 lead but no other players could step in further.